Some more kinda wacky questions, but they do make us think. I 'think' I got these, but, admittedly, these are some odd-ball scenarios without matching ARs.
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1. 1/10 @ A-25. Early in the 2nd quarter, QB A12 is in shotgun formation and slot receiver A80, who is lined up to the wide side of the field, starts back in motion toward A12 before the snap. At the snap A80 heads toward A12 to run the jet sweep. A12 flips the ball up into the air at the A-20 and A80 catches the ball as he crosses in front of A12 at the A-20 and A80 turns upfield and is out of bounds at the A-40.
RULING:
A, 1/10, A-40, ready (40 and running).
A12’s “flip” of the ball to A80 is a legal forward pass, and A80 is an eligible receiver who catches the pass and legally advances to the ball. The game clock is stopped momentarily for the ball to be placed at the succeeding spot, and then re-started. The play clock starts automatically when the ball becomes dead after the previous down.
2. 1/10 @ A-25. Early in the 2nd quarter, QB A12 is in shotgun formation and slot receiver A80, who is lined up to the wide side of the field, starts back in motion toward A12 before the snap. At the snap A80 heads toward A12 to run the jet sweep. A12 flips the ball up into the air at the A-20 and A80 muffs the ball at the A-20 and the ball drops to the ground.
RULING:
A, 2/10, A-25, snap (40 and running).
A12’s “flip” of the ball to A80 is a legal forward pass, and A80 is an eligible receiver who muffs the ball, resulting in an incomplete forward pass. The game clock is stopped for the incomplete pass, and will next start on the snap for the succeeding down. The play clock starts automatically when the ball becomes dead after the previous down.
3. 3/10 @ B-40. After the Two-Minute Timeout in the 4th quarter, A10 drops back in the tackle box to the B-47 and is unable to locate an open receiver. A10 throws a forward pass that is incomplete at the B-30 where there is no eligible Team A receiver. The game clock is stopped at 0:55.
RULING:
A, 4/17, B-47, 0:45 (4), ready (25).
Although the information provided is incomplete (lacking score and available times-out information), the ruling provided is based upon Team A being behind in score.
A10 commits a foul for intentional grounding to conserve time. The penalty is loss of down at the spot of the pass. Since the foul occurred during the last 2-minutes of the 4th period, the penalty includes a 10-second subtraction from the game clock (at Team B’s option). Team A may be able to avoid the 10-second subtraction by using a time-out, if available. If the 10SS is enforced, the game clock will start on the referee’s signal. If the 10SS is refused, the game clock will start on the snap.
4. 3/10 @ A-25. Early in the 3rd period, A12 throws an out route to A88 who went out of bounds on his own at the A-35. B21 tips the legal forward pass up in the air near the sideline at the A-33 while A88 is still out of bounds. A88 comes back and reestablishes inbounds and catches the pass at the A-35 where he is downed.
RULING:
A, 1/10, A-35, game clock running (40 and running).
Although A88 lost his eligibility to touch a legal forward pass BEFORE it was touched by Team B when he stepped out of bounds, A88’S eligibility was restored once the passed ball was touched by B21. A88 successfully re-established himself inbounds before touching the ball, thus, his catch and advance is legal. The game clock does not stop for the first down, and the play clock starts automatically when the ball becomes dead after the previous down.
5. 3/10 @ B-30. A44 runs to the B-25 where he is downed inbounds. During the down A22’s helmet comes off (no helmet foul by the defense) and B77 is down with an injury. When the clock is stopped it reads 0:58 in the 4th quarter.
RULING:
A, 4/5, B-25, ready (40).
The game clock is stopped for the helmet off and the injury. A22 may not participate in the next down, unless Team A takes a charged team time out. B77 may not participate in the next down, under any circumstance. Unless either team takes a time out, the play clock is set to 40-seconds, and both clocks will start on the referee’s signal. There is no option for a 10-second subtraction from the game clock, because the game clock was stopped for both the helmet off and the injury.
6. Free Kick @ A-35. Team A lines up in position and the Referee signals the ball ready for play. Team A has A44 and A21 with green dots on their helmets on the field signifying that those players have radio receiving capability. A91’s kick goes out the back of the end zone.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-25, snap (40 and running).
All action described is legal, and Team B will put the ball in play at the B-25 following the touchback. Coach-to-player (C2P) communications are deactivated for free kicks, and neither team is restricted in how many players with C2P capable helmets are on the field during a free kick down.
7. 4/10 @ A-35. A91’s kick lands at the B-25, and rolls out of bounds at the B-15. A88 interferes with B21’s opportunity to catch the kick at the B-25. During the down, time expires in the 1st quarter.
RULING:
B, 1/10, B-40, 15:00 (2), snap (25).
A88 commits a foul for Kick Catch Interference. The 15-yard penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul, taking the ball to the B-40, where Team B will put the ball in play, 1/10. By rule, when a foul occurs during the last timed down of the 1st or 3rd periods, the period is NOT extended for an untimed down. Thus, after the penalty is enforced and the line-to-gain established, the ball will be transferred to the same yard line on the opposite end of the field, and the line-to-gain equipment will be placed, the teams will move to each defend the opposite goal lines, and next down will be the first down of the second period.
8. 2/7 @ A-5 late in the 2nd quarter. Quarterback A12 drops back to pass and is scrambling in his end zone as he tries to find an open receiver. About to be tackled in the end zone, A12 throws the ball forward to the ground at the A-3 in an area where there are no eligible receivers. When the ball is dead the game clock shows 0:18. Team B accepts the penalty.
RULING:
Although the information provided is incomplete (lacking score and available times-out information), the ruling provided is based upon Team A being behind in score.
A, free kick, A-20, 0:08 (2), ready (25); OR, A, free kick, A-20, 0:18 (2), free kick timing; OR, A, 3/7, A-5, snap (25).
A12 committed a foul for intentional grounding. Team B has the option to accept the penalty of a safety, and be awarded 2 points, with a free kick by Team A to follow. This foul qualifies for a 10-second subtraction, and, if elected, the game clock will be re-set to 0:08 in the second period, and the game clock will start on the referee’s signal. If the 10SS is NOT elected, the game clock will operate according to standard free kick timing rules. Team A can avoid the 10SS by taking an available charged team time out.
Alternatively, Team B may decline the penalty for the illegal pass and Team A will next snap the ball at the previous spot, next down. (This seems like a highly unlikely scenario.)
